Ingredients:
5 cups white refined flour ( also known as Maida)
1 cup yogurt
1 tsp salt
2 tsps ghee
2 tsps sugar
1/2 tsp yeast OR 1 tsp baking soda
Instructions:
1. Sieve the flour and salt together.
2. Mix the yeast with half a cup of luke warm water and keep aside for ten minutes.
3. Mix the ghee (clarified butter) and the sugar with the flour.
4. Add the yogurt and dissolved yeast or the baking soda.
5. Add little more luke warm if necessary.
6. Knead well until the dough becomes soft and pliable.
7. Cover it with a wet cloth and keep aside for four hours.
8 .Heat the ghee in a frying pan.
9. Make small balls and roll them, spread a little with your palms to make it bit elongated ( tear shaped) and fry in hot ghee until golden brown.
10. Serve hot with “Channa” also known as “Punjabi Choley” (chickpea curry).
Preparation time - 10 minutes; marination time 2-4 hours
Ingredients:
Chicken – ½ kg, preferably boneless, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces
Yogurt – 2 tablespoons
Soya sauce – 2 teaspoons
Corn flour – 2 tablespoons
All purpose flour – 1 tablespoons
Ginger – ½ inch piece, finely chopped and crushed smooth
Garlic – 2 beads, finely chopped and crushed smooth
Red chilli powder – 2 teaspoon
Garam masala powder – ½ teaspoon (optional)
Lemon juice - 1 teaspoon
Egg – 1 (optional)
Salt – ½ teaspoon or adjusted to taste
Vinegar - 1/2 teaspoon
Green chillies – 3, medium size, medium hot; deep fried
Oil – for deep frying
Method: Mix well all the ingredients together except green chillies and oil in a shallow vessel. Add the chicken pieces to this marinade along with the vinegar and mix it again evenly. Marinate it covered for 2-4 hours in a refrigerator. Heat oil in a fry pan and when the oil is very hot, deep fry the chicken pieces until it turns reddish brown. Serve it hot garnished with onion rings, lemon wedges, tomato slices, and/or deep fried green chillies as a main entree or as an appetising snacks. Enjoy!
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Prawns cooked in coconut
This is a very simple recipe yet it makes any dinner special. Try it out and let us know if you liked it.
Ingredients:
Small Prawn - 600 gms
Onion Paste - 80 gms
Milk - 120 ml
Coconut Milk - 80 ml
Cummin Paste - 2 tsp
Green Chilli Paste - 2 tsp
Ginger Paste - 1 tbsp
Poppy Seed Paste - 2 tsp
Cashew Paste - 2 tsp
Lemon Juice - 1 lemon
Salt - to taste
Oil - 100 gms
Fresh Coriander Leaves - 15 gms
Whole Green Coconut - 4 nos
Preparation :
Completely shell and de-vein the prawns, wash in cold water.
Rub with lemon juice and salt and keep aside for 30 minutes.
Taken oil in a handi and add onion paste. Bhunno (simmer) till oil leaves the sides. Add ginger paste. Stir.
Add poppy and cashew paste and bhunno till it smells of roasted nut. Add cummin and green chilli paste.
Cook for 2 minutes and add milk and coconut milk. Simmer for about 15 minutes till gravy is set.
Add the prawns and simmer till cooked.
Add the water of green tender coconut and reduce to pouring consistency. Add salt to season.
Cut the ends of the green coconut and preserve the shell of the head for covering.
Pour the curry into the shell and cook for 20 minutes on a water bath, immersing the stuffed green coconuts till half water level.
Serve hot in the shell garnished with fresh coriander leaves.
(Serves - 4)
Aam Daal - during summer is yummy. Daal is a common term for pulses in India. Any of the specific pulses mentioned below can be found on oriental or Indian Grocery stores in US.
Ingredients
-Arhar/toordal :250gms .
-Water:4 cups
-Green mangoes :4 medium sized, peeled and cut into 6/8 pieces each lengthwise
-Turmeric:1 tsp, Onionseeds /kalojire :1/2 tsp.
-Green chilies:4-6 slit , Salt to taste, Sugar :1-2 tsps or to taste, Ghee :1 tsp
Steps:
Wash dal and stir into boiling water. Add turmeric and after stirring, continue cooking for about 20 minutes.
Add the green mangoes, green chilies and salt to taste.
Continue cooking until green mangoes are soft but not mushy.
Add sugar to taste.
In a karai/wok heat ghee and add onion seeds.
Cook until onion seeds stop spluttering and pour over dal.
Stir well.
Bring to boil once and remove from fire.
This dal tastes best served at room temperature.
A good accompaniment with rice during summer.
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How to Make Kulfi
Making Kulfi (Indian traditional IceCream) is very easy !!
Follow the procedure below and comment on the post to let us know that how did it go. Happy Kulfy-ing everybody !!
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Ingredients
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-Condensed Milk : 1tin
-Milk : 4 cups
-Khoa : 100gm Maida : 1tbsp
-Chopped and blanched almonds and cashew: 10-12pc
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Steps
———-
Mix together condensed milk, milk, maida and khoa. Bring to boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and cook for 5minutes stirring constantly. Remove from fire.
Cool.
Add almonds and cashew.
Fill into kulfi moulds and freeze overnight. ]]>
A unique corn and chicken chowder made with chicken, toasted sweet corn and fire-roasted green chilies, we found it warming and satisfying and we wanted to make it a part of our recipe stock. So we found a way to make it using all natural and organic ingredients.
The soup takes its name from the earthy red tone that comes from red Wahini rice, a natural reddish-brown aromatic rice related to Basmati.
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Ingredients
———————————
2 tablespoons organic canola oil
1 small onion peeled and thinly sliced
1 medium red bell pepper seeded and sliced
4 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 (2-ounce) can fire-roasted green chilies
1 medium jalepeno pepper seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (8-ounce) boneless free-range chicken breast,thinly sliced
1 quart (4 cups) organic chicken broth
1 cup fresh or frozen organic corn kernels
1/2 cup Red Wahini rice
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 green onions ,thinly sliced
6 sprigs fresh cilantro ,finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime juice
kosher salt.
additional cilantro leaves for garnish
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Preparation
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Put the vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat and sauté the onion, red pepper and garlic until the vegetables are soft and beginning to color. Add the green chilies, the jalepeno pepper the smoked paprika,cumin and black pepper and sauté until the vegetables are heated through,a few minutes more.
Add the chicken and cook 5 minutes,turning the chicken pieces three or four times as they begin to brown.
Pour in the chicken broth and bring the soup to a full rolling boil.Stir in the corn kernels and the rice reduce heat to low and simmer until the rice is very tender about 45 minutes.
Stir in the heavy cream, green onion, cilantro and lime juice, salt to taste.Top with cilantro leaves and crispy corn tortilla strips. Serve hot.
This is a not too difficult recipe. Try and let us know !!
Almost the staple food of Goa along with rice, fish curry made in this style is tangy and spicy! Tuna tastes especially good in Goan Fish Curry but you can also use any fish with firm white flesh.
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INGREDIENTS:
———————–
1 kg fish cleaned and cut into pieces
Walnut sized lump of tamarind
1/2 cup hot water
1 large onion sliced
1 large tomato sliced
7-8 dry red chillies
2 tbsps garlic paste
1 tbsp ginger paste
1 whole coconut grated
2 tbsps coriander powder
2 tbsps cumin powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
2 green chillies slit
2 tbsps vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil
Hot water for gravy (approximately 2 cups)
Salt to taste
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PREPARATION:
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Soak the tamarind in 1/2 a cup of hot water for 10 minutes. Now mash the tamarind with your fingers to mix it well into the water. Strain through a sieve to extract all the pulp. Keep pulp aside.
Put the onion, tomato, coconut, ginger, garlic, dry red chillies, all the spices and the tamarind pureé into your food processor and grind well to make a smooth paste (masala).
Heat a deep pan on a medium flame, add the oil and heat.
Add the green chillies, masala paste you just ground to the oil and fry for 5 minutes.
Now add the 2 cups of water (add more water if you would like more gravy) and bring the gravy to a boil.
Gently add the pieces of fish to the gravy and cook for 10 more minutes. Do not cover the pan at any time during the cooking.
Turn off the fire and serve immediately with plain boiled rice.
“Ayu is life and Veda means knowledge. Knowledge of Life is Ayurveda”.
Ayurveda, the science of life or longevity is the holistic alternative science from India and it is more than 5000 years old. It is believed to be the oldest healing science in existence, forming the foundation for all others.
The methods used to find this knowledge of herbs, foods, yoga, life style, and surgery are fascinating and varied. These revelations were transcribed from oral tradition into written form, interspersed with aspects of mortal life and spirituality.
Ayurveda was organized into its own compact system of health and considered a branch of Atharva Veda. In the 10,572 hymns of the Rig Veda, there are discussions about the three constitutions (doshas): air (Vayu), fire (Pitta), and water (Kapha). The hymns provide information about organ transplants, artificial limbs, and the use of herbs to heal diseases of the mind and body, and to foster longevity. In the Atharva Veda 5,977 hymns contain discussions of anatomy, physiology, and surgery.
Cooking and Ayurveda:
Everything absorbed by five senses like Mouth (food, water), Nose (Breath), Ear (Chanting, sweet music), Skin (Sunlight), Eyes (Nature) is Food. When we consume food in adequate amount, it gives us long life and youthfulness. When consumed in inadequate amounts, it increases production of toxins which is harmful for life. Having right food is the initial step towards achieving healthy life. But just having right food is not enough. Right combination and proportion of food is also important for an individual.
Ayurveda has three main focuses: healing, prevention and health care. This medical science is a method of personalizing food for each person’s healing process. Ayurvedic style cooking is a rational way to prepare food keeping in mind the dietary need of an individual based on different body types.
Ayurveda categorizes food in to three categories: Satvic, Rajasic and Tamasic.
These types of foods have different effects on the body and the mind.
Sattva: Sattva is a quality of mind which induces clarity, harmony and balance.
Sattavic: The following food promotes Sattva.
Fresh fruits and vegetables, salads, fresh fruit juices, cereals(red rice), herbal tea, fresh cow milk, dry fruits, nuts, honey, jaggery, all spices and freshly cooked food.
Rajas: A quality of mind which induces energy and action. The need to create.
Rajasic: The following food promotes Rajas.
Basmati rice, sour cream, paneer, ice-cream, yeast, sugar, pickle, vinegar, garlic, onion and salted food.
Tamas: Tamas is a quality of mind which evokes darkness, inertia, resistance and grounding. The need to stop.
Tamsic: The following food promotes Tamas .
Alcohol, Beef, Chicken, Fish, Pork, Eggs, Frozen food, Microwaved food, Mushroom, Drugs, Tea, Coffee, Fried food, Fried nuts.
Ayurveda classifies herbs, foods, and drinks into the following five aspects:
Taste: The Sanskrit word for taste is Rasa. It means delight or essence, both of which promote the healing channel which extends from the mouth into the head and brings the essence (one meaning for taste) to the brain. This essence stimulates prana, which in turn stimulates the agni or digestive fire.
Elements: Six tastes originate from the five elements, transmitting their properties: sweet, salty, sour, pungent, bitter, or astringent. Everyone requires some amount of each of the six tastes in their diet. However, depending on the individual constitution and season, one must adjust their taste to balance their dosha. The key is to have moderate amounts of each taste.
Energy (Virya): This energy activates tastes. Foods and drinks create either cold or hot energy in the body. Each taste has an associated energy.
Post - Digestive (Vipak): Tastes may change at the end of the digestive process. This is due to the digestive agni (fire) juices in the alimentary tract.
Special Properties (Vishisht Prabhav): Herbs also have some subtler, more specific qualities.
Eat up to 1/3 capacity of your stomach, drink to 1/3 and leave 1/3 for God (Ashtanga Hridayam).
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Hmmm - Mouth watering and Hot !!
Indian Version Of Chilli Chicken
tag to this name? Well it is much Indianized recipe. I will tell you some thing! When ever I try to cook some thing away from Indian kitchen, finally I end up making it Indianized. I think my hands are more friendly to the spices:-) which are used a lot in Indian Kitchen! Is the same with any of you too? If answer is “Yes” then Iam not surprised. Since, I understand the love and effection we all have towards our basic habits, unknowingly hidden some where in our minds, with which we have grown up, though we some times try to deviate ourselfs to new things which we want to adopt. And its is very very hard to leave them behind. Now! you all know “Basic Habits” here I mean reffering to the food! ofcourse!! After all we are all foodie’s:-) What ever we talk, what ever the story we share, what ever …ever….ever…….what ever!! we end up with our food post. With such an intention, Iam proceeding towards my todays post. So here I go..
Ingredients:
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3lb chicken (cut into small pieces)
2 big onions (cut into very thin layers)
2 medium tomatoes (cut into long and thin pieces)
3 tbsp yogurt(curd/perugu)
2 tsp dark soya sauce
1 tbsp corn flour (mix in some water to form paste with out any lumps)
1 stem curry leaves
6 green chillies (chopped into small pieces)
3 tsp red chilli powder (adjust to your spice if needed)
2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp ajwain
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 garlic cloves (cut into very small pieces)
2″ ginger (cut into very small pieces)
2 tsp coriander powder
1 flat tsp garam masala powder(optional)
Lemon juice extracted from 1 lime
2 tbsp finnely chopped cilantro
salt as required
Oil for cooking (prefferably 2 tbsp)
Method:
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Meanwhile, chicken gets marinated, make other ingredients ready as mentioned in the ingredients section.
After 45 to 60 minutes, take a wide and little depth pan. Heat oil. Add ajwain and green chillies. Fry for few seconds. Add curry leaves and fry till they turn crispy. Now add onions and fry till they turn to light brown on thw whole, in color.
Now add ginger and garlic pieces and fry for few seconds. Add the marinated chicken into this and mix well. Fry the chicken for 3 to 5 minutes on high with out closing the lid. See that bottom is not burned.
Now close the lid and reduce the heat to medium and allow the chicken to cook for 10 more minutes. Here if needed add very little water, as chicken will release some water on its own. Just see the bottom of the content is not burned.
Open the lid , add tomatoes and mix well. Close the lid again and allow the tomatoes to be cooked and the its juice gets into the rest of the contents. Cook approximently for another 5 minutes.
Add coriander powder and garam masala powder here if u need and mix well with rest of them. Allow it to cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. Finally, mix the lemon juice and cilantro.
Awesome Rasamadhuri Drink !!
Rasamadhuri Sharbat - cool down your senses 
-Mango juice:1cup,
-Pineapple juice:1cup,
-Orange juice:1/2cup,
-Ice cold milk:1cup
-Sugar :2 tbls
-Lime juice :few drops
-Vanilla essence :few drops
Steps:
Grind 2 tbls of sugar finely.
Blend all the ingredients in a mixer.
Refrigerate.
Decorate the glasses with slices of lemon.
Serve chilled.
A good welcome drink during summer.
So next time I visit you, I expect that you guys would welcome me with this drink